In the European Union The blows continue and now it is Germany that launches one: the chancellor Olaf Scholz has dismissed Finance Minister Christian Lindnerwho is also the leader of the FDP (the liberals), and in this way leaves the government coalition very affected. The country, in fact, is almost destined for early elections after the important differences within the Executive for the economic measures to be taken in the next budgetsaccording to several media outlets.
For now, Scholz will face a vote of confidence on January 15which may be the previous step for federal elections in March, since the SPD does not have consolidated support in the Bundestag once it may lose the support of the FDP. In reality, the social democrats will try to buy time because the polls are not favorable to them.
“I have just asked the president to release the Minister of Finance from his duties. I am forced to take this step to avoid damage to our country,” Scholz said in a message to the nation. The traffic light coalition (socialists, greens and liberals) started in 2021 after 16 years of Angela Merkel in power, and At no time has it established itself as a reliable Government: has opted to multiply investment in Defense, but the country continues to be in recession and financial friction between the parties has always been a problem.
This crisis also occurs at a time of clear rise of the far-right AfD in federal polls and after its best historical results in the last regional elections. Now, the polls are led by the CDU, now with Friedrich Merz at the helma, who aspires to regain control of the country with a harder line than Merkel’s.
This political earthquake occurs a few hours after Donald Trump’s victory in the United States, which also catches the EU at a moment of change and, as can be seen, to France and Germany in very low hours as the driving force of the community bloc. Even so, Paris and Berlin try to send a message of strength that is not credible because, in addition, their positions, for example regarding China, are different. This EU locomotive is not going at a good pace and the internal crises attest to this.